Price-scale.



No. 658,732. Patented'rsp. 25, |900.

AC. F. CHRISTOPHER.

PRICE'. .SGALE (Appuemun mea mf. 2o, 19op.\ 3 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

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Patented Sept. 25, |900.

' cfr. CHRISTOPHER Pme scALi-z. (Applimimmgd im. 2o. 1eoo.\

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Nu' Model.)

Wihjcss by No. 658,732.; Patented sept. 25, |900.

c. F. CHRISTOPHER.

PM 05 SCALE.

, (Ap'pnemql ma nu. 2o. 190m (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

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l UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CALVIN F. CHRISTOPHER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THF. COLUMBIAN AUTOMATIC COMPUTING' SCALES PRICE-SCALE.

SPECIFICATION forriingpart 0f Letters Patent NO. 658,732, dated September 25, 1900.

I Appllostlon iiledMaroh '10, 1900. Serial No. 9,426. (No model.)

To alt whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALvIN F. CHRISTO- PHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Price-Scale, of which' the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in price-scales.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of price-scales and to provide a simple and comparatively-inexpensive one capable of simultaneously indicating the weight and price of an article and adapted to be'readily rotated, so that the buyer and seller may successively see the price and the weight.

Another' object of the invention is to enable such improvements to be applied to platform and other scales without aecting the rotation of the indicating devices. 4

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully der icibed, illustrated in the accompanying draw-ings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a platform-scale constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a 1ongitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, the platform being removed to illustrate the arrangement of thej scale-levers and the supplemental scale-lever. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the scale, the section being taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the manner of mounting theretary disk or plate which supports the graduated cylindrical cas'ing. Fig. 6 is -a detail perspective view of the rotary disk or plate. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the bearing-ring, which is provided with the ball-race. Figs. 8 and 9 are elevations showing the rotary graduated cylindrical casing applied t'o other forms of scales.-

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding part-s in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates aframe or casing having a rectangular horizontal portion receiving ,scale-levers 2 and 3 of substantially the ordinary construction, and the scale-levers 2, which support a platform 4, are substantially U-shaped, being fulcrumed at their ends on suitable knife-edge bearings and connected at their bends with the longitudinal scale-lever 3 bya double hook or link 8% The 'scale-lever 3, which extends longitudinally of the frame, is fulcrumed at its end 5 on a suitable bearing and is provided at its Aother 'end with a substantially-rectangular loop 6, extending beyond the fulcrum of and connected with a supplemental scalelever 7. The supplemental scalelever 7, which is substantially T-shaped, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, is provided at the ends of its transverse arms 8 with journals 9, which are mounted in suitable bearings 10, located at opposite sides of the loop of the scale-lever 3; but the T-shaped supplemental scale-lever may be fule'rumed in any other suitable manner. The longitudinal arm ot" the supplemental scale-lever extends through the loer 6, which is bent upward, as illustrated Fig. 2 of the drawings, and which is provided at its transverse portion 11 with a suitable knife-edge for engaging the supplemental lever. The su pplemental lever is provided for the purpose of enabling the necessary movement for operating the price-scale to be obtained from the comparatively-slight movement of the platform 4, and the said supplemental lever is connected with the lower end Aof a rod or bar 12. The rod or bar12, which extends through the supplemental scale-lever 7, is provided at its lower edge with a knifeedge bearing 13 for engaging the lower face of the supplemental scale-lever; but any other suitable connection may be employed. The upper end of the connecting bar or rod 12 is provided with a ball 14, which is received within a socket 15 of a vertically-movable horizontal bar 16 of the mechanism hereinafter described for transmitting motion to an exterior indicator 17. The connecting rod or bar is provided between its ends with teeth 18, forming a rack and meshing with a pinion 19 of ahorizontal shaft 20, which is journaled in suitable bearings of the upright portion 21 of the frame 1 and which carries a hand 22. The hand 22, which is fixed to the shaft, is arranged on the exterior of the frame or casing, and it moves over acircular graduated surface preferably consisting of a ring 23, having an annular series o f graduations and numbers and designed to indicate the Weight of the goods or other articles sold. Instead of arranging the annular series of graduations on the ring 23, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, a disk or any other suitable su rface may be provided. The graduated cylindrical casing 24 is supported in a vertical position upon a rotary disk or plate 25, and the exterior indicator 17 is revolved around the graduated cylindrical casing 24 by the mechanism hereinafter described for transmitting motion from the vertical mov able bar 16 to the said indicator 17, which mechanism is claimed specifically in an application for patent filed on or'about December 9, 1899, Serial No. 739,826. The rotary disk or plate is arranged in a horizontal plane and is provided at -its upper face with inner and outer concentric vertical flanges 26 and 27, which support the graduated cylindrical casing and a transparent receiver 28 and retain the same in position on the rotary disk or plate. The cylindrical casing fits over the inner flange 26, and the transparent receiver is arranged within the outer annular flange 27.

A bracket 18, having a bottom flange 19, is secured to the upper face of the rotary disk or plate by suitable fastening devices extending through the said bottom flange. The bracket 18,is provided atits top witha flange 20, forming a bearing for a central vertical shaft 21', which has its lower end stepped in a suitable bearing 22", extending horizontally om the bracket at an intermediate point.

le central vertical shaft extends throughV a central aperture 23* of the to p ofthe casing, and it carries the L-shaped exterior indicator, which is adapted to revolve around the exterior of the casing. The exterior indicator extends horizontally from the upper end of the shaft to a point slightly beyond the casing, and it depends at the exterior thereof. The horizontal portion of the indicator is provided between its ends with an opening for the reception of the central vertical shaft, and its inner or rear portion 26 constitutes an arm which is adapted to be secured to a sectorshaped frame or plate 27, fixed to the upper end of the vertical shaft and extending horizontally therefrom, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. The shaft 21, which is disposed axially with relation to the casing, is provided above the same with a squared portion 28, which fits into a corresponding opening of the sectorshaped plate or frame, and the upper end 29 of the shaft is threaded for the reception of a suitable nut 30?. The sector-shaped plate or frame may be provided with any suitable means for enabling the arm 26 of the indicater to be clamped at the desired adjustment.

The central vertical shaft carries a bevelpinion 33, which meshes with a vertical bevel-pinion 34 of a horizontal shaft 35, journaled in suitable bearings 36u of the bracket 18 and carrying a spur-pinion 37", which meshes with a pivota1ly-mounted rackbar 38. The rack-bar 38", which is pivoted at its lower end 39 on the vertically-movable horizontal bar 16, is held in engagement with the spur gear-wheel 87 by a spring 41, se cured at its lower end to an arm 42 of the bar 16 and having its upper end bearing against the back of the rack-bar at a point above the pivot thereof. The horizontal bar 16 has its ends connected with the lower terminals of a pair of coiled springs 43, which are suspended from the bracket, from perforated ears or extensions thereof located at opposite sides of the top flange. The perforated ears or flanges 44 of the top flange of the bracket receive adjusting devices 45, consisting of stems provided with lugs or projections, as fully described in the application before referred to. The adj usting devices are adapted to be rotated to draw the springs u pward and to force them downward, and by this construction any inaccuracy of the scale resulting from long use of the springs may be readily corrected.

\ The vertically-movable horizontal har may be provided with anysuitable means for connecting it with the rod or bar l2, and instead of employing the ball-and-soclcet joint 14 a swivel connection or joint may be used. When the yieldingly-supported verticallymovable horizontal barl moves upward and downward, it carries with it the rackbar 38, which produces a rotation of the central vertical shaf t, and the exterior indicator is caused to revolve around the curved surface of the graduated drum or casing. The casing is preferably provided at its top with an annular series of weightgraduations 53, preferably pounds and fractions thereof; but any other unit of measurement may be taken, as will be readily apparent. The casing is provided below the weight-graduations with annular series of price-graduations 54, corresponding with the weiglit-graduations, and the indicator is provided at its top with adepending finger 55, and it has a vertical series of indicating points or projections 56. The finger operates in connection with the top graduations 53, and the vertical series of indicating points or projections are arranged to correspond with the price-graduations and bear characters indicating the price per pound or other unit of measurement. The exterior indicator is adapted to revolve around the casing, and the indicating devices comprising the indicator and the graduated casing may by the means hereinafter described be readily rotated, so that the purchaser and seller may successively-see the weight and price of an article. The' rotary disk or plate, which is provided at intervals with outwardlyextending knobs or handles 29, is provided with a depending annularbearing-flange 80, which is supported upon an an nularseries of antifriction-balls 31, and which is arranged within a bearing-ring 32, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. The bearing-ring, which is mounted upon the upright portion 2l of the frame or casing 1, is provided with a vertical wall or Bange 33, and it has an interior groove forming a race for the balls and located adjacent to the bottom of the wall or flange 83. The depending bearingange is provided at its lower edge with an approximately-inclined bearing-face conforming to the con figuration of the balls and forming substantially a couebearing. This construction permits the' rotary disk or plate and the mechanism supported by the same to be turned frictionlessly and without interfering with the connecting rod or bar 12, so that the exterior indicator andthe adjacent graduatlons of the vertical cylinder may be successively viewed by the seller and purchaser. This consti-action also enables this result to be accomplished without rotating the frame or casing of the scale.

The connecting rod or bar extends through a central aperture of the rotary disk orplate, and the ball of its upper end is adapted to turn freely in the socket of the verticallymovable horizontal bar 16.

The rotary disk or plate is turned by means of the projecting handles 29, and it is retained in the bearing-ring by screws34 or other suitable fastening devices, which extend through the wall or flange 33 and pro- 4o ject into an annular groove 35 of the depending bearing-flange 30. The annular groove 35 is located at the outer face of the bearingilange at a point between its lower edge and the lower face of the rotary disk or plate.

In Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings the means for enabling the graduated cylinder to be rotated independently ofthe scaleframe are shown applied to a substantiallyrectangnlar scale-frame 36, arranged in a vertical, position similar to that illustrated in the said application and supporting a bearingring 37, constructed like that heretofore described. A rotary disk or plate 38, which is constructed the same as heretofore described, has its depending bearing-flange arranged within the bearing-ring, and it is provided with knobs or handles 39, by means of which it is turned. A scale-pan or receptacle 40 is connected with a depending stem 4l by a swivel-joint 12 to permit the disk or plate 38 to be turned independently of the scale-pan. Instead of employing the scale-plan 40 and the frame or hanger 43 a hook or any other suitable device may be provided for receiving the goods to be weighed. The frame 36 of the scale is provided at opposite sides with handles 44; but these may be omitted, and the sition on the disk or plate, an

improvements, as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings, may be applied to a scale having a frame 45 at one side only. The frames illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 of the aocompanying drawings are each mounted on a suitable base, and they may be secured to the same in any desired manner.

lt will be seen that the graduated casing and the exterior indicator are adapted to be rotated freely for enabling the seller and purchaser to successively see the price and the weight without rotating the frame of the scale and that such rotary movement is frictionless and does not interfere with the connections be- .tween the receptacle for the goods to be weighed and the mechanism for actuatin g the exterior indicator. It will also be apparent that the supplemental scale-lever enables suficient movement to be obtained from a platform-scale to actuate the mechanism for revolving the exterior indicator around the graduated casing.

1. A device ot' the class described comprising a frame, a bearing-ring mounted on the frame and provided with a ball-race, antifriction-balls arranged in the said race, a rotary disk or plate supported by the said balls, a graduated casing arranged in a vertical pocator arranged to move over the graduations of the casing, a device for receiving the goods to be -Weighed, and mechanism connected with and actuated by the device for receiving the goods to be weighed, said mechanism being connected with and adapted to actua-te the indicator, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described com pris- .ing a frame, a bearing-ring mounted upon the frame, a rotary disk or plate supported upon the bearing-ring, a vertical casing mounted upon the disk or plate, an exterior indicator arranged to move over the graduations of the casing, mechanism located within the casing for actuating the indicator, a device for receiving the goods to be weighed, and connections hetween such device and the said mechanism, said connections being provided with a joint adapted to permit the rotary disk or plate and the mechanism within the casing to be rotated independently of the device for receiving the goods to lie weighed, substantially as described.

3. A device pf the class described comprising a frame, a bearing-ring having an upwardly-extending wall or flange and provided within the same with a ball-race, a rotary disk or plate provided with a depending bearing-flange extending into the bearing-ring, autifriction-balls arranged in the ball-race and receiving and supporting the bearinglange of the disk or plate, a vertical casing provided with gradnations and supported by the disk or plate, an exterior indicator, mechanism located within the casing for actuating the indicator, a device for receiving the goods tc be weighed, and means for connecting such device with the said mechanism, substantially as described.

4L. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a bearing-ring supported by the frame and provided with an upwardly-extending wall or flange and having a bali-race within the-same, antifrictionballs arrariged within the ballrace, a rotary disk or plate provided with a depending bearngflange supported by the said balls, said bearing flange being provided with an annular groove, devices mounted on the wall or flange of the bearing-ring and extending into the annular groove, a vertical casing mounted on the disk or plate and provided with graduations, an exterior indicator arranged to move over the gradnations of the casing, gearing located within the casing for actuating the indicator, and means for connecting the gearing with a device for receiving the goods to be weighed, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a longitudinal scale-lever pro vided at one end with a loop and fulcru med at the other end, a supplemental scale-lever extending through the loop of the said scale-lever,a platform,means for connecting the platform with the scale-lever, agraduated casing mounted upon the frame for mtatio'z, an exterior indicator arranged to move over the graduations of the casing, mechanism within the casing for actuating the indicator, and a connecting bar or rod extending from such mechanism to the supplemental scale-lever, substantially as described.

6. A device of the class described comprising a frame provided with an exterior graduated surface, a longitudinal scale-lever provided at one end with aloop, a supplemental scale-lever extendingthrough the said loop, a platform, means for connecting the platform with the longitudinal scale-lever, a graduated casing mounted for rotation on the frame, an exterior indicator arrangedto move of the casing, mechan ism within the casing for actuating the indicator, a connecting-rod extending from the supplemental scale-lever to the said mechanism and providedwith a rack, apinion meshing with the rack, and an exterior hand connected with the pinion and arranged to move over the graduated surface of the frame, substantially as described.

7. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a longitudinal scale-lever provided With a loop, a supplemental scale-lever extending through the loop, a platform, means for connecting the platform with the longitudinal scale-lever, a bearing-ring mounted upon the frame, a rotary disk or plate extending into the bearing-ring and arranged to rotate on the sain e, a vertical casing provided with graduations, an exterior indicator arranged to move over the graduations, mechanism within the casing for actuating the indicator, and a connecting rod or bar extending from the said mechanism to the supplemental scale-lever, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with two members, a vertical cylinder having graduations, and an indicator coperating with said gradnations, one of these' members being revoluble with reference to the other about a vertical axis, of a Weight-receptacle operatively connected to impart rotation to the revoluble member, and a spring within the' cylinder connected to the weight-receptacle and tending to resist the depression of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my 'signature in the presence of two witnesses.

'CALVIN F. CHRISTOPHER.

Witnesses:

H. F. RILEY, W. PERRY HAHN.

over the graduations 

